Yesterday, the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos, affirmed that the death sentence passed on the General Overseer of the Christian Praying Assembly, Rev. Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, (Reverend King) by Justice Joseph Oyewole of the Lagos State High Court Stands.
"I hereby rule that the prosecution effectively discharged the burden of proof on it. This appeal is devoid of any basis and accordingly fails". Furthermore "the judgment of the High Court is hereby affirmed, and the conviction imposed on the appellant, (which is death by hanging) is also affirmed," Justice Fatimo Akinbami who read the judgement held. The two other members of the panel of Justices, Amina Augie and Ibrahim Saulawa concurred with the lead judgement.
Rev. King was arraigned on September 26, 2006 on a six-count charge of attempted murder and murder but he pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The prosecutor had said that the convict poured petrol on the deceased and five other persons and that Uzoh died on August 2, 2006; 11 days after the act was perpetrated on her.
He was then sentenced to death by the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, on January 11, 2007 for the murder of one of his church members, Ann Uzoh.
His counsel filed a notice of appeal on January 16, 2007, containing 16 grounds of appeal against the judgment.
On June 10, 2008, the Court of Appeal granted him leave to argue the additional 16 grounds of appeal through an amended notice of appeal filed on June 15, 2008.
But yesterday a Unanimous judgement read by Justice Akinbami, Stated that the Appeal Court dismissed the appellant’s claim that the case of the prosecution was clustered with doubt and held that all the issues raised by the appellant failed, and resolved same in favour of the prosecution which is Death by Hanging.
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